Trailing the Carolina Hurricanes 2-0 in the Eastern Conference semifinals, the Philadelphia Flyers will be without versatile two-way center Noah Cates for the remainder of the series due to a lower-body injury.

Cates, 27, has four points (one goal, three assists) in eight playoff games following the best offensive season of his career, when he posted 47 points (18 goals, 29 assists) in 82 games.

“I mean, he’s been Mr. Consistency all year. Does a lot of things for us,” coach Rick Tocchet said Wednesday. “But like I said, it’s no different than other teams. Next man up. You’ve heard the drill before.”

Cates averages 16:15 in ice time and is one of the league’s top defensive forwards, as the Flyers averaged only 1.67 goals against per 60 minutes at 5-on-5 during the regular season with him on the ice.

Despite losing Cates, Tocchet is confident in the Flyers’ centermen, including 20-year-old rookie Denver Barkey, who has received more time at the position. Trevor Zegras will return to center as a move “to get him going,” Tocchet said.

Veteran Sean Couturier is a reliable option at the position along with Christian Dvorak, who is expected to play in Game 3 despite an undisclosed injury.

With the Flyers limited to two goals over the first two games, Tocchet is encouraging his players to have a “shot-first mentality” to overcome the Hurricanes’ defensive aggressiveness.

“I think to help some guys out that are struggling against Carolina, they’ve got to have a shot-first mentality,” he said. You’ve got to be able to make a play around them. I think some guys are overpassing and that’s the one thing Carolina’s good at. They make you overpass. But if you throw pucks at the net, beat their aggressiveness, you’re going to get chances.”

The best-of-seven series resumes Thursday night with Game 3 in Philadelphia.

–Field Level Media

Los Angeles Dodgers starting pitcher Tyler Glasnow was removed after pitching one inning against the host Houston Astros on Wednesday with low back pain.

Glasnow allowed a first-inning home run to Brice Matthews and attempted to return in the second. After several warmup pitches, Glasnow, 32, motioned for trainers, who along with manager Dave Roberts removed him from the game.

Glasnow’s first-inning strikeout of Yordan Alvarez was the 1,000th of his career.

A 2024 All-Star with Los Angeles, Glasnow was 3-0 with a 2.56 ERA entering his seventh start this season. He signed a five-year, $136.5 million contract before the 2024 season.

–Field Level Media

For the second consecutive year, the Kentucky Derby winner will not run in the Preakness Stakes, as Golden Tempo trainer Cherie DeVaux announced Wednesday the horse will skip the second leg of the Triple Crown and compete in the Belmont Stakes next month.

“Golden gave us the race of a lifetime in the Kentucky Derby, and we believe the best decision for him moving forward is to give him a little more time following such a tremendous effort,” DeVaux wrote in a statement posted to X.

Golden Tempo was a 23-1 long shot on Saturday but made a late charge down the stretch to edge out favorite Renegade. The victory made DeVaux the first woman to train a Kentucky Derby winner.

Last year, Sovereignty passed on the Preakness, and many trainers feel is too close to the Kentucky Derby — two weeks apart — and makes it difficult to keep a horse healthy for big races in the summer and fall.

The Preakness will be held May 16 at Laurel Park south of Baltimore, due to Pimlico undergoing a grandstand renovation. Pimlico is scheduled to host the 2027 Preakness.

As of Wednesday afternoon, none of the 19 horses who participated in the Kentucky Derby have committed to compete in the Preakness.

The Belmont is slated for June 6 at Saratoga Race Course in Saratoga Springs, N.Y., due to ongoing construction at the main Belmont Park facility on Long Island, N.Y.

–Field Level Media